Just As Before
by nevillelongbotom
Summary: Sirius reunited with James and Lily after he falls through the veil.


**Disclaimer:** Nothing is mine. Characters and basic premise belongs to J.K. Rowling. Along with the stuff in italics. That's literally copied and pasted from Order of the Phoenix. Oops?

* * *

It was like flying.

Sirius' surroundings turned a transparent white, but there was nothing beyond it that he could see. He was just floating through the nothingness like a cloud.

The wind carrying him slowed down, color was beginning to fill in the empty space, and he was approaching what he thought looked like the cottage in Godric's Hollow. Except it was no longer a ruin, held up only by a few spells. It was tall, beautiful, and completely together.

He came to a stop just outside the gate. His feet landed gracefully just in front of it, and gravity seemed to take effect again. He looked around. Everything seemed to be just like it did before.

He took a step forward and rested a hand on the gate. Vines were wrapped over and around the brick wall that surrounded the property. Small bunches of flowers sprouted from the corner where the grass met the wall. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the gate open and stepped into the yard. Sirius' footsteps echoed off the stone walkway as he made his way to the front door.

He stood there for a moment. The door didn't seem threatening, yet he was afraid to touch it. There were barely audible sounds coming from behind it. A familiar laugh particularly jumped out at him. Sirius stared, dumbfounded. It couldn't be. Slowly, he raised his hand to the brass knocker. His fingers traced over the cool metal for a moment before he lifted it and let it fall.

His hands fell to his sides as he waited.

On the other side of the door stood James Potter in all his glory. He looked as though he hadn't aged a day. His hair, of course, was still a complete mess.

Sirius couldn't breathe. All the wind had been completely knocked out of him. "Well, Padfoot, it's about sodding time you got here."

"James!" Lily appeared next to him, her eyes sparkling just like Harry's, "You're being insensitive and rude." She smiled sweetly at Sirius, putting a hand on his shoulder and steering him into the room.

James followed, kicking the door closed behind him. "It's not my fault he took so long to die. It's no fun here without him. You don't let me have any fun." Sirius froze mid-step.

Lily rolled her eyes, "You are such a baby." She stopped, looking at Sirius, "Sirius, are you alright?"

He stared wide-eyed between her and James. "Padfoot, hey buddy. Wake up." He snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"I'm dead." He looked to Lily for confirmation. She nodded sadly. "I- I'm dead." He sat on the edge of their couch.

"How else did you think you'd be talking to us, Padfoot?" James grinned and punched his arm.

"James!" Lily glared at him, pointing towards the kitchen, "go make Sirius some tea. Now." James sighed but did as he was told. "Sirius."

He looked at her, still coming to terms with everything. "I'm gone. There's no going back." He stated all this, but they seemed more like questions. Lily took a seat next to him, placing her hand over his.

"You're right."

"But Harry-"

Lily smiled sadly, "He'll be fine." Sirius just nodded, continuing to think everything over. James came back in with a tray of tea. He set it on the coffee table and offered Sirius a cup. The warmth helped calm him down.

"So," Sirius stated, "this is what happens when you die."

James snorted from his armchair. Lily smiled as well, "It's different for everyone. We ended up here because it's where we'd always felt most at home." She squeezed his hand, "Guess that's why you're here too."

"Okay, okay, enough. I did not wait 15 years for you to die just to watch you turn into a bird," James sat forward. "How'd it happen?"

Sirius had to pause to think. He had only been here for five minutes, but everything that had been on his mind had begun to fade. It wasn't as though they were gone; they just seemed to have fallen into a part of his mind that was having trouble working. He closed his eyes to bring the scene back into his mind.

_Only one pair was still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Harry saw Sirius duck __Bellatrix's jet of red light: he was laughing at her._

_"Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room._

_The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest._

_The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock._

_Harry released Neville, though he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps __again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais._

_It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards __through the ragged veil hanging from the arch._

_Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his godfather's wasted, once-handsome face __as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a __moment as though in a high wind, then fell back into place._

Sirius exhaled, "Bellatrix. She did it." And just like that, the memory faded again.

"You know, I never liked her," James added. Sirius couldn't help but grin.

Sirius leaned back against the couch, slouched like he always sat. "So this is what being dead's like." Lily and James nodded, watching him. "Not too bad. Unless you two start shagging like rabbits while I'm still in the room again."

"Padfoot, that was one time."

"One time was enough, Prongs."

Things went on like this. They spoke of Harry and what he'd done since Lily and James had gone. It wasn't hard to remember those things because Sirius never tired of talking of his godson. And James and Lily were perfectly eager to hear of their son's triumphs.

All was well.


End file.
